Cleaning of pump-strainers.



P. L. LEISSE.

CLEANING 0F PUMP STRAINERS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 3.1914.

Patented Sept. 19, 1916.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

PIERRE L. LEISSE, 0F BILLANCOURT', FRANCE, ASSIGNOR T0 LOUIS RENAULT, O

BILLANCOURT, FRANCE.

CLEANING OF PUMP-STRAINERS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 19, 1916.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, PIERRE LE'oNARD LEISSE,citizen of theFrench Republic, residing at Billancourt, Department ofthe Seine, in France, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin the Cleaning of Pump-Strainers; and I do hereby declare the followingto be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such aswill enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make anduse the same.

The invention relates to a pump permitting of readily and rapidlycleaning the strainer during the operation of the pump either by partlydismantling the strainer or automatically without any dismantling.

It is known that pump strainers, in particular when the liquids to bepumped contain matter in a suspended condition, become clogged veryrapidly. Their cleaning involves great difficulties owing to theirposition and very often it is necessary to stop the pump in order toeffect this cleaning.

The strainer is constituted by a certain number of vertical pipes thelower end portions of which form the rose or strainer proper, and aredistributed along the periphery of a box immersed in the supply tankinto which the suction pipe opens. The openings through which each ofthe vertical tubes communicates with the common box, may be closedindividually by means of valves which by placing the corresponding tubeor pipe out of action, permit of the cleaning operation withoutinterfering with the operation of the pump either by dismantling thepipe or leaving it in place; the cleaning operation may be effectedautomatically or not.

The accompanying drawing shows various constructional forms of thedevice based upon the same principle.

In Figures 1 and 2, the strainer is composed of detachable tubespreferably disposed circularly around the suction pipe. To this end, thesuction pipe 1 is terminated at its lower end by a cylindrical box 2formed with a plurality of apertures; above each of them tubes 3 aremounted the lower portions of which are perforated to a certain heightso as to form a strainer. At the lower portion of each of these tubesthere is a seat adapted to receive a valve 4 which may be lowered andseated by means of a spindle 5, chain or any other suitable device.

The total section of the tubes 3 is reckoned in such a manner that ifone of these tubes is cut out, the remainder have a suflicientcrosssection to insure the supply of the pump. In this manner, each ofthe tubes 3 may be successively withdrawn for cleaning purposes. To thisend, before withdrawing the tube 3, the corresponding valve 4 is loweredso as to seat it by acting upon the spindle 5. The strainer can then bewithdrawn and cleaned and the same operation may be effected inconnect-ion with each tube 3 without interfering with the operation ofthe pump.

Figs. 3 and 4 show a more improved construction in which tubes formingthe strainers are fixed, the cleaning operation being effected in anautomatic manner. In this case, the suction pipe 1 is mounted on a box 2like in the previous case, but the tubes 3 being fixed, are connected attheir upper part to a circular tube 6 by means of the valves 7. In eachof the vertical tubes, a valve 4 is provided which can shut-off the tubeat its lower part; this valve is operated by means of the spindle 5passing through the stufling-box of the valve 7. Furthermore, thecircular pipe is connected to the discharge of the pump and thereforereceives Water under pressure. During normal operation all the valves 4are lifted and the tubes 3 operate like an ordinary strainer. hen it isdesired to clean one of the tubes, it is suflicient to lower thecorresponding valve so as to cut oil the suction of same. Then the plugof the corresponding valve is turned so as to cause the pipe 6 tocommunicate with the interior of the tubes 3. The water under pressurebeing supplied through the pipe 6 penetrates the tube 3 and leaves withforce through the perforations of the strainer thus cleaning the latter.It is sufficient to repeat the same operation successively on all tubesand the cleaning is effected automatically without any difficulty. It isobvious that if the number of the tubes and the section of theirapertures are suflicient, the action of two or more tubes may be cut offsimultaneously, instead of operating on one tube only.

In the device shown in Figs. 5 and 6, the cleaning is automatic andcontinuous. To this end, the tubes 3 instead of ending at their upperpart into a circular pipe, are bent and have a horizontal portion 8.These horizontal arms open into a central body in which there is asingle valve disposed as shown in Fig. 5. This valve is operated forinstance, by means of abevel gearing and by an electric motor or anyother suitable device. The axis 10 of this valve supports a plate 11,one part of which is formed with a curved portion 12 the function ofwhich is as follows: Each of the spindles 13 supporting the valves 14 isterminated at its upper end by a hook 15 or similar member, bearing onthe plate 11. hen the hook of one of the valves bears on the curvedportion 12 of the plate 11, the corresponding valve is lowered. Thevalve 9 is keyed in such a manner that at this moment the correspondingtube 3 is placed in communication with the discharge of the pump througha. pipe 16. It follows that when the valve 14 is lowered and thattherefore the corresponding tube 3 is obstructed at its upper part,water under pressure arrives immediately at the upper part of this tubeand insures the cleaning thereof. The latter operation is thereforeeffected in a mechanical, automatic and continuous manner.

Finally, it must be pointed out that each of the three describedapparatus is also applicable in the case of immersed pumps and obviouslyto any kind of pump. In the case of an immersed pump, the suction pipeis dispensed with and the pipe for water under pressure insuring thecleaning of the strainers, may be located immediately at the beginningof the discharge.

I claim:

1. A pump strainer comprising a plurality of tubular perforated strainerelements, a common conduit. to receive liquid drawn by the pump from theexterior of said elements through the perforations thereof and thencethrough the interior of the elements to said conduit, each element beingin communication with said conduit through an opening to permit theliquid to pass from the interior of the element to said conduit, meansto close any one of said openings, and means to permit liquid underpressure to be forced into the interior of and outwardly through theperforations of that strainer element whose communication with theconduit has been cut off by the closing of said opening, for the purposedescribed.

2. A pump strainer comprising a plurality of tubular perforated strainerelements, a. common conduit to receive liquid drawn by the pump from theexterior of said elements through the perforations thereof and thencethrough the interior of the elements to said conduit, each element beingin communication with said conduit through an opening to permit theliquid to pass from the interior of the element to said conduit,automatic means to close said openings in succession, and means topermit liquid under pressure to be forced into the interior of andoutwardly through the perforations of that strainer element whosecommunication with the conduit has been cut off by the closing of saidopening, for the purpose described.

3. A pump strainer comprising a plurality of tubular perforated strainerelements, a common conduit to receive liquid drawn by the pump from theexterior of said elements through the perforations thereof and thencethrough the interior of the elements to said conduit, each element being in communication with said conduit through an opening to permit theliquid to pass from the interior of the element to said conduit,automatic means to close said openings in succession, and meansautomatically operable to permit liquid under pressure to be forced intothe interior of and outwardly through the perforations of each strainerelement immediately after its communication with the conduit has beencut off by the closing of its opening.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signa ture, in presence of twowitnesses.

PIERRE L. LEISSE.

Witnesses CHAS. P. PREssLY, EMILE KLorz.

Copies of this patent may bev obtained for five cents each, byaddressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washingtom D. C.

